TRANSLATION – HYUNDAI MAGAZINE ARTICLE
Below picture of Ambassador: Korean ambassador Cho, Hee-yong want to point out that relations between Sweden and Korea are very good.
Above his fireplace there are three dalahästar that have received a permanent residence permit in Korea
TEXT: Country within a country We have made a state visit to Korea.
The time it took to get there was 30 minutes. From Gårdsvägen in Solna to Laboratoriegatan in Stockholm where the Korean embassy is located as a country within a country. Here we spoke to the ambassador about his new car and about his friendship with Sweden
The Korean embassy is situated in one of the most beautiful buildings in Diplomatstaden by Gärdet in Stockholm. The house was built 1912 and is one of the very few private houses designed by famous architect Ivar Tengbom, architect of Stadshuset. This fact is something that everyone at the embassy is very proud of. Namely today there are very strong ties between Sweden and Korea and these ties go back 60 years. This is something that ambassador Cho, Hee-yong explains to me as soon as we have greeted and are sitting down in the sofas in his office. After a 31 year long career as diplomat he sees it as a privilege to have become ambassador to Sweden.
- It is a huge honour for me and I am very happy to have been appointed as ambassador in 2008. This meant that I was able to participate in two
extraordinary celebrations. The 50 year anniversary of diplomatic ties between Sweden and Korea; when also our President visited Sweden, and the 60 year anniversary of the Korean War.
Not many Swedish people know that Sweden was the first country in the world to send a hospital team to the war stricken Korea. There were 1 124 doctors, nurses and other Swedish humanitarian staff stationed in Korea during the war. Besides this humanitarian help Sweden has, after the standstill 1953, also sent military staff to the Korean peninsula as a part of the neutral countries surveillance commission NNSC. Still today five Swedish officers are stationed there.
- This has made Sweden a very famous country in Korea. We know a lot about you, from the fact that you are a welfare state to the Nobel price and ABBA. Among the countries we want to learn from Sweden is always among the 10 foremost countries. Our people have developed a comprehensive relationship that has come to bring many advantages, Cho continues, and emphasises that we have the same view on global issues which is a good foundation for cooperation.
- In Asia we are a small country and in Europe Sweden is a small
country, there are also some cultural similarities. Both Swedes and Koreans are humble people and we also have four seasons which have shaped out state of mind.
The fact that Korea has developed their own culture for over 3000 years in the shadow of China and Japan, Cho explains is the reason for Korea’s current strength and prosperity.
The fate of the Korean people is, as well as for diplomats, to be prepared to work seven days a week. Today we can be proud over the fact that our
national brands as LG, Samsung and Hyundai have become very big among world leading companies. Today the government do not need to help large companies with funding to promote themselves abroad, they are handling that themselves, but smaller companies can still be helped. Today there are among ninety Swedish companies that are established in Seoul and if a Swedish delegation is going to Korea the embassy helps with information and preparations in order to contribute to good relations.
Cho encourages Swedes and Swedish companies to visit Korea to benefit from the good relationships between our two countries. He is very optimistic about the future between our two countries, already today around 2000 Koreans visit Sweden and among 1000 Swedes visit Korea every month.
Lately it has also become easier for persons between 18 and 30 to travel between our countries.
- To see with your own eyes is a hundred times better then just hearing about something. Soon North and South Korea will be united, which will increase the Korean identity even more, after all we are the same people.
When we ask Cho what he thinks about the embassy’s new car he smiles.
- Hyundai Equus is a brilliant example of how good it is to see
something with your own eyes. There is a large interest in this car among other diplomats, especially diplomats from the Far East. When people ask me about the car I usually show them the car pretending that I do not know where it is from, then I feel very proud when I explain that the car is from Korea.
Below picture of Ambassador and Edgar: A classical situation for both Cho, Hee-yong and his driver Edgar Esquivel. Both are very happy with the car
Below picture of Hyundai Equus: Hyundai flagship Equus is not sold in Sweden today. This is the only imported specimen. Note the flag!
A DREAM TO DRIVE AND RIDE IN
The new Equus Hyundai takes a big step towards the upper class of luxury segments where their closest competition would be Mercedes S, Lexus LS 600, BMW 7-series and Audi A8. At the moment the Equus is only sold in Korea and the US, two types of engine is available. A V6 on 290 horse powers and a V8 on 400 horse powers, which is what the embassy car holds along with the prolonged limousine coach on 5,6 meters. Equus is in other words fully equipped. A notable detail to mention is that the instruction book is an I-pad.
The embassy Equus is mostly used at represential functions and it is driven by a professional driver. In this case it is Edgar Esquivel who is very impressed by the new car.
- It is a dream to be driving this car compared to the Mercedes S350 that we used before. I also think that the Equus has a very beautiful design, but it is not only me and the ambassador that likes this car, when the ambassador is taking part in different functions and I wait by the car many persons come up to me and ask me questions about the car. The car attracts a lot of attention and it is good publicity for Korea.
Below picture of backseat: A correct embassy car shall have a backseat with a
“diplomatic statement” this car offers adequate comfort
